Signaling system



Feb. 23, 1937. F. K. Low

SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed April 27, 1935 A F/G. 2

37 j K A 3,0 ,o /2 F/G.

ATTO/wfg Patented Feb. 23, 1.937

UNi'i'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,07 1,547 SIGNALING SYSTEM Telephone York, N. Y.,

Application April 27,

20 Claims.

This invention relates tosignaling systems and particularly to signaling systems. comprising electromagnetic signal receiving means.

It is the object of the invention to provide a more reliable electromagnetic signal receiving means and to insure the response of a selective switching mechanism to the signal impulses received.

In signaling systems in which selective impulses are created by the opening and closing oi a signaling circuit, the release and reoperation of an impulse relay under control of incoming impulses may be effective to directly control a switching mechanism or may be effective to set an impulse register. The time available for operating a selector or register magnet depends upon the frequency of the impulses in a series, and the selector magnet or register magnet must oi necessity be fast in operating ii its operating circuit is closed only during the time that the signaling circuit is open.

One feature of the invention is a new and improved impulse receiving circuit arrangement, for operating a selector mechanism or impulse register in response to a series of impulses received by an impulse receiving relay, by the use of which substantially the entire interval between the end of one impulse and the end of the next succeeding impulse of a series is available for operating the selector or register. The arrangement comprises an impulse receiving relay and a set oi three auxiliary impulse relays so connected that the release of the impulse receiving relay at the beginning oi one impulse of a series closes a circuit for operating a rst one of the auxiliary relays; the reoperation of the impulse receiving relay at the end of the impulse closes a circuit for holding the first one and for operating a second one oi the auxiliary relays; the release of the impulse receiving relay at the beginning of the next succeeding impulse of the series closes a circuit for holding the second and operating the third oi said auxiliary relays; the operation of the third auxiliary relay causes the release of the first oi the auxiliary relays; and the reoperation oi the impulse receiving relay at the end of the second impulse causes the release or" the second and third oi the auxiliary relays. The second of the auxiliary relays is, therefore, operated at the end of one impulse to close a register operating circuit and is released at the end of the next succeeding impulse to open the iirst-mentioned register operating circuit and close .another register operating circuit. A particular advantage attaching to this arrangement N. Y., assigner to Bell Incorporated, New

1935, Serial No. 18,506

as compared with prior art impulse distributing arrangements is its ability to respond to and distribute impulses received at a high impulse rate, all shunt release and other conditions which result in slow response having been avoided.

Another feature oi the invention is a circuit arrangement comprising an impulse receiving relay anda set of auxiliary relays controlled thereby for closing one register operating circuit in response to one impulse of a series and for opening the one and closing another register operating circuit in response to the next succeeding impulse of a series, one circuit being closed by the release of the impulse receiving relay, at the beginning of the one impulse, for preventing the reoperation of the impulse receiving relay until the auxiliary relays have responded to the release of the impulse receiving relay and another circuit being closed by receiving relay at the ing the release oi the impulse receiving relay in response to the next succeeding impulse oi the series until the auxiliary relays have responded to the reoperation of the impulse receiving relay. Since a limited number of contacts are obtainable on a sensitive impulse receiving relay, two impulse receiving relays in series may be used to provide the necessary contacts for controlling the auxiliary relays.

A better and more complete understanding of the invention may be obtained by considering the specific embodiments of the invention shown in the drawing which forms a part of this specification. The invention is not, however, limited in its application to these specic arrangements and is, in general, applicable to any signaling system in which selective signals are created by the opening and closing oi a signaling circuit.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig. 1 represents an automatic telephone system comprising a subscribers station A and impulse receiving means IR having a single impulse relay I3;

Fig. 2 also represents an automatic telephone system comprising a subscribers station A and impulse receiving means 1R, the impulse receiving means having two impulse relays 33 and 34, the one more sensitive than the other.

The apparatus at station A includes a dial I or an equivalent impulse sender, and is connected by line il to a central office or exchange in Which automatic switching equipment is provided for establishing a connection between the line Il and an idle impulse receiving means IR in response to the removal of the receiver at station end of each odd numbered prising switches of the well-known Strowger type controlled by the dial impulses when dialed. Reference may be had to Patent No. 1,395,977, granted to F. A. Steal-n et al., November 1, 1921, for a description of a system comprising switches of the power-driven panel type which are revertively controlled by a register-controller, set trains of impulses created by The impulse receiving means IR, shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, comprises an impulse receiving relay I 3, slow-to-release relays I5 and I7, auX- iliary impulse relays I8, i9, and 2D, and register relays 2i and 22. Upon removal of the rethe extension of the line II to the impulse receiving means IR, the impulse receiving relay I3 is operated by the energization of its winding in series with the conductors of line II, the contacts of dial IU and one winding of the dial tone transformer I2. The operation of relay I3 closes a-circuit for operating the slow-to-release relay I5. No further action occurs until the subscriber at station A operates the dial I 9 to establish a desired connection, the

mit seri-es of impulses corresponding to the digits dialed.

Upon the opening of the impulse circuit at the contacts of dial I8 to transmit the rst impulse of relay I5 for operating the auxiliary impulse relay I8 and the slow-to-release relay I'I. As soon thereafter as relay I3 reoperates due to the closing of the dial contacts at the end of the rst impulse, the upper winding of relay I9 is energized in series with the winding of relay I3 to cause the operation of relay I 5 and to hold relay I8 operated. Relay I5, being slow in releasing, remains operated during the receipt of dial impulses by relay I3. As soon as the impulse receiving relay I3 again leases, due to the opening of the impulse circuit series, the lower winding of relay I3 is energized in series with the winding of relay 20 to cause the operation of relay 20 and to hold relay I9 operated. The operation of relay 2Q causes the release of relay I8 and as soon as relay I3 reoperates, at the end of the second impulse, relays I9 and 2Q are also released.

It is apparent that relay I 9 is operated at the impulse of a series received by relay I 3 and released at the end of received by relay I3, the above described cycle of operations for relays I 8, IS, and 2i) being repeated for each two succeeding impulses of the series. Relay I7, being slow in releasing, remains operated during the response of relay I 5I to all of the impulses in the series. The rst operation of relay I 9 is eective to close a circuit for operating the register relay 2|, this circuit being closed from the end of the rst impulse of a series received by relay I3 to the end of the second impulse of the series; and the rst release of relay I9 is eiective to close a circuit for operating the second register relay 22, this circuit being closed, upon opening of the circuit for operating relay 2l, at the of relay I I) and the even numbered register relays through the back contact of re- When the last impulse of a series has been received, relay I3 remains o erated long enough to cause the release of relay I7. In case the series of impulses consists of an odd number of impulses, the release of relay I 'I causes the release of relays I 8 and I9 and renders the release of relay I9 non-eiective to cause the operation of another register relay. Other con- 2 of the drawing, ing relays 33 and S4, slow-to-release relays 35 and 37, relay 35 auxiliary to relay 35,

pulse relays 33, 39, and 26, lays 4I and (I2.

circuit for operating the slow-to-release relay 35 No further at station A dials the number of a line with which a series, relays 33 and 34 release, the release of relay 33 being effective to cause the operation of the slow-to-reresponded to the release of relay 33. The operation of relay 33 closes a circuit through the upper windings of relays 33 and 34 in series, uppermost front contact of relay 38, uppermost back contact of relay 39 and through resistance 30, the current in this circuit being effective to aid the reoperation of relays 33 and 34 upon the closing of the circuit through their lower windings at the end of the first impulse. The reoperation of reimpulse received by .ings of 4relays relay 33 also opens the operating circuit for relay 38 thereby causing the energization of the upper winding of relay 39 in series with the winding and lower front contact of relay 38. Relay 38 is thus held operated and relay 39 operated, the operation of relay 39 being effective to open the holding circuit through the upper windings of relays 33 and 34. Upon the opening of the contacts of dial l to transmit a second impulse, and relay 39 being operated, relays 33 and 34 release. The release of relay 33 closes a circuit through the lower iront contact of relay 35 for reenergizing relay 31 to prevent its release until all of the impulses in the series have been received and closes a circuit through the front contact of relay 35, inner lower iront contact and winding of relay 39 and the winding of relay 40 for holding relay 39 operated and for operating relay 43. The release a short circuit through the inner upper iront contacts of relays 38 and 39 around the lower windings of relays 33 and 34 to prevent the reoperation of these relays until relays 4G and 38 have responded to the release of relay 33. The operation of relay 49 causes the release of relay 38, thereby closing a circuit through its uppermost back contact in series with the uppermost front contact of relay 39 and resistor 39 for reenergizing the upper windings of relays 33 and 34. As soon as the impulse circuit is again closed at the dial contacts, the reoperation o relays 33 and 34 causes the release of relays 39 and 49. The above described cycle oi operations for relays 33, 34, 38, 39, and 49 is repeated ior every two suc ceeding impulses in the series, so that relay 39 is operated in response to each odd numbered impulse of the series and is released in response to each even numbered impulse of the series. If the series consists of an odd number of impulses, the release of relay 3l, after the last impulse has been received, causes the release oi relays 33 and 39 and renders the release of relay 39 non-effective to cause the operation of another register relay.

The operation of relay 39 at the end of the first relays 33 and 34 closes a circuit for operating the i'lrst register relay 4i. The release of relay 39 at the end of the second impulse of a series received by relays 33 and 34 opens the circuit for operating the first register relay 4| and closes a circuit for operating the second register relay 42. Each succeeding operation of relay 39 closes a circuit for operating an odd numbered one of the register relays and each release of relay 39 closes a circuit for operating an even numbered one oi the register relays. Thus, the circuit ior operating each register relay is closed for substantially the entire period from the end of one impulse until the end of the next impulse and the registering of impulses received at the highest dial impulse frequency is thus assured. 'Ihe arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is one in which the energization of relay 33 merely to the point where it barely closes its front contact coupled with the deenergization oi relay 34 merely to the point where it barely opens its back contact is sufcient to insure the registration of dial impulses. It is also to be noted that the closing of the circuit through the upper wind- 33 and 34, in series with resistor 30, by the response of relay 38 to an opening oi the impulse circuit, hastens the reoperation of relays 33 and 34 upon the closing of the impulse circuit at the end of the impulse; and that this circuit through the upper windings oi relays 33 and 34 is opened by the response of relay 39 to the vsaid signal receiving relay,

closing of the impulse circuit at the end of animpulse so as to hasten the release of relays 33 and 34 upon the opening of the impulse circuit to transmit another impulse.

What is claimed is:

l. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a signal receiving relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and one winding of said signal receiving relay, a signal register, a set of auxiliary relays controlled by said signal receiving relay to operate said register in accordance with the signal impulses received by said one winding of the signal receiving relay, and circuit means for preventing the reoperation of said signal receiving relay until said auxiliary relays have responded to the reelase oi said signal receiving relay.

2. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a signal receiving relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and one winding of said signal receiving relay, a signal register, a set of auxiliary relays controlled by said signal receiving relay to operate said register in accordance with the signal impulses received by said one winding of the signal receiving relay, and a circuit including another winding of said signal receiving relay for aiding the reoperation of Said signal receiving relay, said last-mentioned circuit being closed by the response of the auxiliary relays to the release of said signal receiving relay.

3. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a signal receiving relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and one winding of a signal register, a set of auxiliary relays controlled by said signal receiving relay to operate said register in accordance with the signal impulses received by said one winding of the signal receiving relay, and a circuit including receiving relay for holding said signal receiving relay operated until said auxiliary relays have responded to the reoperation of said signal receiving relay.

4. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a signal receiving relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and a winding of said relay, a signal repeating relay, means including two auxiliary relays and said signal receiving relay for operating said signal repeating relay in response to one signal impulse in said circuit and for releasing said signal repeating relay in response to the next succeeding signal impulse in said circuit, and means comprising contacts of said signal repeating relay and one of said auxiliary relays for preventing the reoperation of said signal receiving relay until said one of the auxiliary relays has responded to the release of said signal receiving relay.

5. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a signal receiving relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and a winding of said relay, a signal repeating relay, means including two auxiliary relays and said signal receiving relay for operating said signal repeating relay in response to one signal impulse in said circuit and for releasing said signal repeating relay in response to the next succeeding signal impulse in said circuit, and circuit means including contacts of one of said auxiliary relays and said signal repeating relay for aiding the reoperation of said signal receiving relay.

6. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a signal receiving relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and a primary winding of said relay, a signal repeating relay, means another winding of said signal receiving relays for 7. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a signal receiving relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and a Winding of said relay, a signal repeating relay, means inof said signal receiving relay.

8. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a signal receiving relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and a primary winding of said relay, a signal repeating relay, means including two auxiliary relays and said signal 10. In a signaling system, a line, a signal sender, a first relay, a second relay, a third relay, a fourth relay, a fifth relay, a signaling circuit including one winding of each of said rst and second relays and said line and signal sender all in series, the current in said circuit being effective to operate said rst and second relays, a cirrelease of said iirst of said second relay a circuit effective cuit closed in response to the relay following the operation for operating said third relay, upon reoperation of said rst said first relay for operating said iifth relay and for holding said fourth relay, the operation of said fourth and fifth relays being effective to cause the release of said third relay and the next succeeding reoperation of said rst relay being effective for holding said first and ysecond relays operated.

1l. In a signaling system according to claim 10, a circuit including contacts of said third and fourth relays for preventing the reoperation of said rst and second relays.

12. In combination, a rst relay, means for operating said relay, means for alternately releasing and reoperating said first relay a desired number of times in succession, operation in succession one at a time to each successive release and reoperation of said rst relay, and means comprising a set of three auxiliary relays controlled by said first relay for closing circuits for operating said other relays, the circuit for operating any one of said other relays being closed for an interval substantially reoperation of said rst relay.

13. In combination, a set of three impulse responsive relays and a set of contacts for transmitting to said impulse responsive relays a series 14. In combination, a set of three impulse responsive relays, a set of contacts, means for actuating said contacts to transmit a series of impulses, a circuit closed upon actuation of said contacts to transmit an impulse for operating a next succeeding impulse of a series for operating the third one and holding said second one of the relays operated, the operation of said third one being effective to cause the release of said rst one of the relays and the opening of said last-mentioned circuit being effective to cause the release of the second and third relays.

a second relay, of said second said contacts to normal for operating said second relay and for holding said first relay operated,V a thirdvrelay, and a circuit including an- 55 ation of said impulse relay at the end of the other winding of' said second relay and the Winding of said third relay closed by the next succeeding actuation of said contacts for holding said second relay operated and for operating said third relay, the operation of said third relay being effective to cause the release of said first relay and the restoration of said contacts being eiiective to cause the release of said second and third relays.

16. In a combination according to claim 14, an electromagnetically controlled device, each operation and each release of said second one of the relays in response to impulses from said contacts being effective to close a circuit for operating said device.

1'7. In a combination according to claim 15, an electromagnetically controlled device, a circuit for operating said device closed by the operation of said second relay in response to an actuation of said contacts, and a circuit for operating said device closed by the release of said second relay in response to an actuation of said contacts.

18. In a combination according to claim 14, an electromagnetically controlled device, each operation and each release of said second one of the relays in response to impulses from said contacts being effective to close a circuit for operating said device, and means effective if the series of impulses consists of an odd number of impulses to cause the release of said second and third relays without closing a circuit for operating said device.

19. In a signaling system, a line, an impulse sender, an impulse relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and a winding of said relay, a first control relay, an operating circuit for said first control relay closed by the operation of said impulse relay upon closure of said signaling circuit, said first control relay being slow in releasing so as to remain operated during the response of said impulse relay to impulses transmitted by said sender, a second control relay, an operating circuit for said second control relay closed by the release of said impulse relay in response to the opening of said signaling circuit to transmit the first impulse of the series, said second control relay being slow in releasing so as to remain operated until all of the impulses in the series have been received, a set of three impulse distributing relays, a circuit closed by said release of the impulse relay for operating a rst one of said distributing relays, a circuit rendered effective b-y reoperiirst impulse of the series for operating a second one and for holding operated said first one of the distributing relays, a circuit closed by the release of said impulse relay in response to the second impulse of the series for operating the third one and for holding operated said second one of the distributing relays, the operation of said third distributing relay being eifective to cause the release or" said first distributing relay and the reoperation of said impulse relay at the end of said second impulse being effective to cause the release of said second and third distributing relays, and an impulse register controlled by the contacts of said second distributing relay.

20. In a signaling system, a line, an impulse sender, an impulse relay, a signaling circuit including said line and sender and a winding of said relay, a first control relay, an operating circuit for said first control relay closed by the operation of said impulse relay upon closure of said signaling circuit, said first control relay being slow in releasing so as to remain operated during the response of said impulse relay to impulses transmitted by said sender, a second control relay, an operating circuit for said second control relay closed by the release of said impulse relay in response to the opening of said signaling circuit to transmit the first impulse of the series, said second control relay being slow in releasing so as to remain operated until all of the impulses in the series have been received, a set of three impulse distributing relays, a circuit closed by said release of the impulse relay for operating a first one of said distributing relays, a circuit rendered effective by reoperation of said impulse relay at the end of the first impulse of the series for operating a second one and for holding operated said first one of the distributing relays, a circuit closed by the release of said impulse relay in response to the second impulse of the series for operating the third one and for holding operated said second one of the distributing relays, the operation of said third distributing relay being effective to cause the release of said first distributing relay and the reoperation of said impulse relay at the end of said second impulse being effective to cause the release of said second and third distributing relays, an impulse register, and circuits controlled by the contacts of said second distributing relay and contacts of said second control relay for operating said register in response to a series of impulses transmitted by said sender.

FRANK K. LOW. 

